She & Him consists of the pairing of Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward. For 6 years, She & Him have been taking the indie world by storm as they churn out hits for the world to hear. This unlikely pairing has had their music skyrocket to the top of “The Billboard 200,” reaching as high as #1 for "Top Independent Albums" for 2011 and 2012. The success of She & Him’s first album, Volume One, came out of left field, as Deschanel and Ward’s seemingly unlikely pairing—the effervescent actress-singer and the sought-after yet self-effacing guitarist—proved to sound absolutely right. While Deschanel writes the music for the duo, and Ward produces and arranges the pieces, both artists share a great love for incorporating harmonies in all of their tracks.

The Scottish ensemble Camera Obscura formed in 1996, when vocalist Tracyanne Campbell, percussionist John Henderson, bassist Gavin Dunbar, and guitarist David Skirving began creating lush indie pop with orchestral flourishes and romantic lyrics. They went on to release a number of singles, one of which included contributions from Belle & Sebastian's Richard Colburn, whose band served as a stylistic touchstone for the young Camera Obscura. Three years after the band's first releases, Lee Thompson joined the lineup as a permanent drummer and David Skirving jumped ship, only to be replaced by Kenny McKeeve. Keyboardist Lindsey Boyd also climbed aboard not long afterward, defining the band as a six-piece.